Small cintiq 13HD review

Hey everyone! It’s been a while since I’ve written on this blog. Last time I wrote about digital tablets and how to choose the best one for yourself. I mentioned that I was looking for a new tablet since my old one was getting too old for me to use professionally. I saved up some money, got my parents to loan me some, and invested in a Cintiq 13HD after months of speculation and endless video watching.

Youtube ended up being a golden source once again. I usually do a very thorough search when making big purchases, and this wasnt’ and exception. I really enjoyed this video and I think it really gives some valuable insight on if Cintiq13HD is the tablet for you.

Cintiq13HD is the smallest from the cintiq family, but it still a great size. Its actual drawing space is a bit small for someone who needs a lot of space when drawing, or has very large hands, and I have neither. For me, 13hd has been the perfect size. I tend to work on small sizes and not move my hand very much while drawing. Also what I really liked was how it is still small enough to take on your lap. I set up my computer so that I could comfortably sit on my arm chair with the tablet in my lap.

After some time I somehow managed to hurt my fist after countless hours with cintiq during the very first week of buying it. I did the rookie mistake and worked too many hours in a very bad position, even though it felt comfortable at first.

Now I have moved in a place with no arm chair and have set up my cintiq back on the table where it presumably works better than I originally thought. I have done some drawing with it since, but not enough to say if I prefer working on it on the table or on my lap better.

For someone who has never tried cintiq, I really recommend you give it a try somehow. In Helsinki, the library has one cintiq you can try, and you might know someone who has one. Drawing and painting feel very much effortless when you don’t need to constantly bend your mind into figuring how your hand and eye will coordinate together. It is still very expensive (850 euros at verkkokauppa.com) but for someone who draws a lot and all the time, it is worth it.

The Cintiq package comes with a tablet and a basic stand with three positions. Many people choose to buy an ergonomic arm for a stand, but I’ve stuck with the original one. There’s also the basic pen, a stand for the pen with new nibs inside, and a case for the pen if you’re traveling. I love the pen case even if I haven’t really used it except when I moved.

Pros

+ Looks and feels professional

+ Very accurate colours

+ Comfortable even when working long hours

+ Much like drawing on a paper

+ Works as a second screen when not using as a drawing tablet

+ The screen is super smooth and nice to touch

Cons

– Very expensive

-No accurate touch function, the one with the touch costs +200e on top of the original 850 euros and even then it is only for gesture control

-Flimsy backboard, feels cheaper than the actual tablet itself

Should I get it?

If you are a professional or a student who does a lot of digital drawing, go for it.

If you aren’t and got the money, go for it.

If you are none of these, and instead are just starting out, you’ll do very well with the basic tablet. I used mine for the first three years, and it was very efficient for starting out.

A lot of professionals go for the bigger size, and I might eventually get a bigger one myself, but I am not in a hurry.

You could also get a screen protector, but I didn’t choose to get one because I love the original screen feel so much.